Valve mechanism



March 26, 1940. w. H. WINEMAN 2,195,205

VALVE HECHANISM Filed Sept. 28, 1936 iatented Mar. 26, 1940 PA'IE'NT orrlca VALVE MECHANISM Wade 1!. Wincman,

Township, La

O p Porte County, Ind., alsignor to Sullivan Machinery Company, a corporation of Manachulettu Application September 28, 1986, Serial N0. 102,98!

BClaims.

My invention relates to valve mechanisms, and more particularly to valve mechanisms for expansible chamber motors oi the type especially adapted for pumping and similar uses. From one 5 aspect, my invention relates to improved distributing means for such motors.

In some oil fields there is available a substantial quantity of oil, but the subterranean pressure is inadequate to cause the oil to flow nat- 1 urally. Accordingly, pumping motors have to be used for the purpose of raising the fluid to ground level. For this purpose, expansible chamber, single-acting pumping motors have been used to great advantage for actuating, through a 15 suitable pump rod line, pumps arranged in the oil well. Such pumping motors are commonly, though not invariably, arranged in groups adjacent a central source of operating pressure fluid supply; and the individual pumps are not com- 20 monly continuously attended by pump runners. As a result, it is very important that the pumping motors bemade as nearly completely automatic and self-protecting as possible.

It is an object of my present invention to pro-.

25 vide an improved valve mechanism. It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved protective device for an expansiblechamber motor ior preventing breakage in the event the motor loses its load suddenly. It is still 30 another object of the present invention to provide an improved automatic vent-check valve in association with an expansible chamber motor for the purpose of protecting the same against breakage in the event of over-stroking, while at 35 the same time interfering practically not at all with the normal operation of the motor. It is still another object of the invention to provide an improved dash-pot means arranged in association with a single-acting motor and effective to -10 preclude the development of substantial pressures 50 shown,

Fig. 1 is an enlarged vertical section through an automatic check valve, showing the parts thereof in one position, to wit, the normal position.

55 Fig. 2 is another view of the automatic check valve shown in Fig. 1, with some parts illustrated in elevation, and showing the automatic check valve in closed position.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the section-line 3-3 of Fig. 2. 5 Fig. 4 is another horizontal section, on the sec-- tion-line 4-4 of Fig. 2. 4

In the operation of single-acting expansible chamber motors such as are above mentioned the non-working end of the motor cylinder is normally continuously vented to atmosphere. As the motor piston reciprocates within the cylinder bore there is, upon each working stroke of the piston, a forcing of air from the non-working end of the cylinder out to atmosphere and upon the return strokes of the piston there is a drawing in oi air from the atmosphere into the cylinder.

To provide for this breathing action, and to enable the building up very quickly of a cushion pressure in the event that the motor loses its load, either through the breaking of the sucker rod line, or of the rupturing of a pump piston packing, there is provided as shown in the drawing a suitable automatic vent valve mechanism generally designated I0 and having air cleaning means incorporated therein. This device is connected with the cylinder bore I, at a point in the latter above the normal end of the working strokes of the motor, by a suitable connecting element or nipple 'II, this opening into the interior oi the dash pot or cushioning portion of the cylinder bore, that is the portion above the normal stroke oi. the motor piston, at a point relatively low therein, so that in the event the motor piston over-travels markedly it will over-run the connection II and there will then be no escape possible for the fluid in advance of the motor piston. The connection II, at its end opposite its point of communication with the cylinder bore, opens into the interior of a casing element I2, which provides a chamber I3 closed at its lower end in large measure by an air cleaning device I4, the parts I2 and I4 being suitably connected as by threaded elements I5. The interior of the member I2 is provided with a series of longitudinallyextending, inwardly projecting, rib-like portions I8, which are cut away as at 11 adjacent their lower ends. The interior of the member I2 is also provided with a central longitudinally projecting boss-like portion I8, whose function will shortly be described. The upper end of the air cleaner element I4 provides an annular surface 80, which serves as the outer annular portion of a composite v valve seat. Another member 8i, held as by a screw "to the central boss I8, provides another at the innermost portion of the cut back parts of the ribs it, is adapted to seat upon the annular surfaces 80, 83, and thereupon to prevent fluid flow through the annular space 88 between said annular seats. A spring seat 89 is supported upon a suitably adjustable stem 90, whose position is controllable by a screw 9! and lock nut 92, and supports a spring 83 which engages at its upper end the lower surface of the annular valve 85, and normally maintains the latter unseated, while permitting downward seating movement thereof upon the occurrence of a sufficient difierential in pressure between the spaces above and below said valve. I The air cleaner portion M has a series of peripheral slots 95 extending generally tangentially to inner wall .96 of said portion, and these slots cause a whirling or the air passing through said cleaner in such manner as to cause the dust or other solid matter or liquid which may be entrained with the air to follow the periphery of the chamber within said air Ordinarily the spring-seat member as will be so adjusted by means of the adjusting screw 9i and stem 90, that it will take a differential in pressure of about two pounds between the pressure within the chamber 13 and the pressure within the air cleaner portion of the device It before the valve 85 will be seated. This 'diflerential is suflicient so that during normal reciprocation of the motor piston seating of the valve 85 will not occur.' However, in the event of a sharply increased upstroke velocity of the motor piston, such as would result from the parting of the sucker-rod line, or the rupturing of a pump plunger packing, the valve element 85 will be moved sharply to its seat and thereafter there will be only such escape of fluid from within the chamber 1.3 as is possible through a small opening I00 formed in the inner seatmember 8|. This small opening Hi0 will permit the cushion pressure built up above the motor piston in the space within the cylinder, gradually to leak away after the upward travel of the motor piston has been checked if the motor piston is stopped before the connection H is reached-or after it is again uncovered. It may be noted that the space within the air cleaner portion HI is partially divided into two chambers by a septum llll, having an opening I02 through its central portion opposite an upwardly extending cone like portion I03 formed at the bottom 01' the chamber member, this construction of the parts operating to cause the air discharged during upstrokes oi the motor dent that I have provided an improved protective device for an expansible chamber motor operative to permit breathing of the motor during normal operation, but to provide a very efiective cushioning in the event that the motor piston tends to make an unduly rapid upstroke. It will be observed that I have provided a device in which a very easy adjustment of the pressures at which What I claim as new and desire to aieacos the cushioning shall commence is possible, and a device in which the parts are simply constructed and in which breakage will be minimized. The use of a valve or the present typ +-a mere annular stamping-both because of the lightness and 5 of the possible material from which it may be constructed, and because of the spring cushioning of its seating, reduces breakage to a negligible amount. The adjustable spring seat permits change in the operating pressures oi! the device very simply to be made. The air cleaning attachment permits the use of the device in dusty and windy country without serious likelihood of the entrance of abrasives into the motor cylinder.

. 15 While in the. accompanying drawing I have shown and have herein; described, for purposes of illustration, one embodiment which my invention may assume in practice, it is to be understood that the same may be modified and embodledin various other forms without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

secure by Letters Patent is: I

1. In combination, a casing having an end portion providing guideways, a valve guided-for reciprocation by said guideways, an element supported by the end portion of said casing providing one portion of a seat for said valve, a separate casing portion providing another portion of a seat for said valve, said valve seat portions arranged in a common plane, and'means for providing an adjustable pressure tending to hold said valve in open position.

2. In combination, a casing comprising upper and lower portions, each of said portions supporting an annular valve seat, said annular valve seats arranged in a common plane, an annular valve guided for reciprocation by said upper por- (0 tion and adapted to seat on said valve seats, and

adjustable means for yieldingly holding said valve in open position carried by said lower portion.

3. In combination, a casing portion providing guiding means for a reciprocable annular valve, 45 a reciprocable annular valve guided by said portion, another casing portion providing a portion of the valve seat for said'valve, a disc-carried by said first mentioned portion providing another portion of the valve seat, said valve seat portions 50 arranged in a common plane, yielding means supported by said second mentioned casing portion for normally holding said valve of! said seat, and

a continuously open vent providing communication between said casing portions and located 55 within the annular zone surrounded by said valve.

4. In combination, a casing portion, an element supported by said casing portion and providing one portion of a valve seat, a separate casing portion providing another portion 01 a valve do seat, said valve-seat portions arranged in a common plane, a valve for controlling fluid flow through the casing provided by said casing portions and adapted to seat on said valve-seat portions to cut oil such flow, and means for provid- 66 ing an adjustable pressure tending to hold said valve in open position.

5. In combination, a casing comprising upper and lower portions, each of said portions supporting an annular valve seat, said annular valve 10 seats arranged in a common plane, an annular plate valve for controlling the flow of fluid through said casing and adapted to seat on said valve seats to cut ofl? such flow, and adjustable means carried by said lower casing portion for 7| yieldingly urging said valve toward open position.

6. In combination, a casing portion, another casing portion providing a portion of a valve seat, a separate member secured to said first mentioned casing portion and providing another portion of a valve seat, said valve-seat portions arranged in a common plane, a valve for controlling fluid flow through the casing provided by said casing portions and adapted to seat on said valve-seat portions to cut off such flow, said valve having an open center, yielding means tending to hold said valve ofi said seat, and a continuously open vent providing communication between said casing portions and located within the zone surrounded by said valve.

WADE H. WINEMAN.

" column, 1

' 14.5, for 'or" read CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION. Patent no; 2,19 ,20 I March '26, 191p.

WADEH. WINEMAL It is hereby certified that error appears in the'prihtedfipeeiiication of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 1, first" ines 14., 5, and 6, strilge out the sentence "From one aspect, my

invention relates to improved distributing means for such motors.'; line -of-; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction there-in that the same may conform to the record-of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 10th day of September, A. D. 1911.0.

Leslie Frazer,

(Seal)- Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

